General Information
Promotional Video
Unavailable
Instructor Bio
Professor Xu is an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Rotman School of Management. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. Professor Xu has taught FinTech and Financial Management to MBAs and EMBAs. His research focuses on entrepreneurial finance, fintech, and corporate finance. His research has been published in top academic journals and has been featured in leading media outlets such Bloomberg, BBC, and NPR, etc. He holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of British Columbia and a MA in Economics from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Target Audience
This course will directly benefit students considering technology careers, including careers in both startups and established firms, as well as those considering careers in the financial sector, such as fintech, investment banking, venture capital, private equity. The course will also be valuable to students considering joining regulatory bodies, non-profits, and legal advisory services.
Prerequisites
Core MBA courses
Format
Two 3-hour in-person sessions per week over 4 weeks
Course Mission
FinTech, the application of information technology to finance, is rapidly changing the landscape of financial services. The purpose of this course is two-fold 1) to provide knowledge and skills needed to understand the mechanisms behind various FinTech innovations, 2) to prepare you for careers in the technology space, particularly those focused on financial services. The course is geared towards management students and does not require engineering or computer science knowledge; the focus is on finance concepts, economic intuitions, the institutions, and social and regulatory implications.
Course Scope
The course will be mainly qualitative, with an emphasis on economic insights. The course also takes a global perspective, introducing you to Fintech companies from various countries. Topics covered include digital banking, payment, insuretech, P2P lending, robo-advising, real estate fintech, etc. An emphasis will be placed on new technologies such as blockchain, big data, AI, and algorithms. We will introduce concepts from economics, such as network effects, economy of scale, information asymmetry, and disintermediation. We will also draw knowledge from strategy, law, marketing, and computer science. You will gain experience in analyzing real world companies and pitching new FinTech business ideas. Finally, we will discuss the social implications of FinTech in terms of regulation, inclusion, and consumer welfare.
Evaluation and Grade Breakdown
| Component | Due Date | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Class Participation | Ongoing | 20% |
| Quizzes (x2) | Ongoing | 15% |
| Group Presentations | Last Class | 35% |
| Investment Memo | End of Exam Period | 30% |
Required Resources
Cases and required readings will be posted on Quercus.